Don't Let Go
by only.a.small.fish
Summary: Tragedy strikes the nations of the world. In an act of love, a nearly fatal accident occurs and it stretches everyone's courage to the limit. They must stay strong and fight to over come their sorrow, but can they when someone precious to them almost dies?
1. The Beginning of the End

**AN:**

**Hi! It's been a while since I posted a new story, hasn't it? Well, I guess summer vacation and The Magic of Miss Hungary sort of got in the way. Anyway! This story was based partially off a song by Avril Lavigne, Keep Holding On, and also a dream I had. Just warning everyone that it is EXTREMELY SAD. It will get better, I promise, but one of the categories is definitely tragedy. But, it is very loving and cute sometimes, so please don't let the tragedy give you the wrong impression.**

* * *

China hummed quietly to himself as he walked down the busy streets of the international city, Aequalis*. This was the expensive part of the city so everyone and everything was very posh and elite, all the shoppers were very rich. Most of the stores that he was passing displayed overpriced designer clothes, shoes, handbags and makeup mixed in with art galleries.

But China wasn't headed for any of these places, he kept walking past everything until he reached a very posh tea shop. He glanced up at the black sign with the stereotypical British gentleman and the store name, "Sir Wellington's Fine Teas and Assorted Concoctions". He pushed open the door and a bell rang somewhere inside the shop. The young woman at the counter looked up and smiled when she saw him.

"Hi Yao!" she smiled "What can I get you this time? We just got an order of delicious jasmine tea in this morning. Would you like a sample?" she asked. China smiled but shook his head.

"No thanks Amara, I'm here for a certain tea pick up this time." he said. Amara came out from behind the counter.

"Oh! Yes, it's in the back. Come with me." she said, walking towards a door at the back of the shop.

"Thank you so much for going to all the trouble to get it for me aru." he said.

"No problem Yao! Don't worry about it!" she laughed. He smiled and followed behind her past shelves full of tea, each little box inside a larger, labeled one. They stopped in front of one particular shelf that had less items on it than the other ones. Amara pulled a small box off the shelf and handed it to China.

"You are one of our best customers after all." she beamed. "That was a pretty hard tea to find, they don't make it anymore." she said, putting her hands on her hips.

"Yes, it's a very old kind of tea aru. But it's delicious. I've never tasted anything that matches the taste." China said, studying the old box.

Since it was such an old tea, the box was made of bamboo and the label was made of a preserved bamboo leaf with the kanji on it hand painted. It was a jasmine, bamboo and lotus blend made with a blue lotus. The blue lotus that were once imported from India are now extinct and the bamboo was from the forests that once stood where Beijing is now.

"What do you want this tea for anyway? If it's so rare, are you just going to drink it?" Amara asked. China laughed.

"No way! This is a present for someone aru." he laughed. Amara raised her eyebrows.

"Oh? Who might this be?" she asked. China cleared his throat and coughed something. "Pardon? Sorry, didn't catch that." Amara teased.

"A very close friend of mine. Tomorrow happens to be his birthday aru." China said.

"Ooh! A HE!" Amara exclaimed. "Wow Mr China, I'd of thought you'd be getting it for some cute girl." China opened his mouth to retort, but Amara cut him off. "But I suppose even the Nations can be gay." China blushed deeply.

"So? Who is it?" Amara demanded. "France? He came in here once and was veeerrrryyy charming."

"FRANCE?!" China looked aghast "No way! We're good friends but…" Amara smiled.

"I'm only teasing, you don't have to tell me if you don't want to." she chuckled. "Come on, you don't think I'm just going to let you walk off with that one-in-a-million box of tea for free, do you?" she said, walking back to the front with China following behind. When they got to the front, she whisked herself back behind the counter and punched a few things into the cash register.

"I know how much it costs aru." China said, and handed her two hundred dollar bills. Amara nodded and pressed a few more buttons and handed China back his change along with a receipt.

"Do you want a bag?" she asked. China shook his head.

"No thanks, I'm going to get one at the stationery store next door." he said and began to head out the door. "Thanks again Amara!" he called and exited the shop.

Back out on the street, he tucked the money and receipt into his pocket and stepped into the stationery store. He walked into the brightly lit shop and meandered around until he found the present bags. Unlike the ones that you see at the dollar store, these were very nice and definitely not cheapy. Some of them were even cloth. China chose a simple, yet pretty, brown paper bag with a silhouetted tree and little girl printed on the bottom left corner. He brought it to the front counter, paid the man and stepped back outside. He slid the tea into the bag and pulled an envelope out of his back pocket and placed it in as well.

Walking down the street for a few more minutes, he glanced at the windows of shops until he reached an intersection, the light for walking on red. The light flicked to indicate that it was safe to go and China stepped out into the street. He had reached the middle of the decently wide street when he heard the screeching of tires, car horns blaring and people shouting. He looked up to his right to see a massive truck barrelling around the corner.

He froze in terror. The sounds disappeared, the truck seemed to be coming at him in slow motion while people on the side walks screamed at him silently. He clutched the bag to his chest tightly, as if afraid it might blow away. The truck got closer, closer, closer, closer. A splurt of red. All went dark.

* * *

England reclined in his favourite chair and flicked on the television to the news. The news reporter's voice rang from the speakers.

"There has been a severe collision at South Parkway and Boorman**. A drunk driver driving a heavy transportation truck ran into a young Chinese man." she said, the screen next to her showing footage of paramedics putting a stretcher into an ambulance. The face of the person was blurred out. England normally would have gone to a different channel, but the mention of a Chinese man made him continue watching.

"The identity of the victim is unknown and he has been transported to Aequalis General Hospital. Police have taken the driver into custody. The intersection will be blocked until further notice. Now onto the weath-" England shut off the television with a click.

"It can't be China." he said to himself. "It can't." He pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and clicked China's speed dial icon. The phone rang once, twice, three times, four times, five times, six times, seven times...then China's voice sounded on the other end.

"Ni hao-" England cut him off.

"Thank god." he said, about to go on, but then his throat went dry.

"-couldn't answer your call, I'll call you back as soon as I can aru. Please leave a message after the beep! Here it comes...BEEP!" China's recorded voice ended after the cheerful sound. England pulled the phone away from his face and ended the call.

"Dear god, no..." he said, setting the phone down. "No...he's...he's probably just out shopping...yeah..." he muttered. Suddenly his phone rang again and he snatched it up, fumbling with it.

"Hello?" he asked, expecting to hear China's cute voice on the other end.

"A-Angleterre!" France sobbed. England jolted.

"France! What's wrong?! What's happened?!" he demanded. France breathed in shakily.

"Y-you need to come Angleterre, quickly!"

"Why? Where are you?!"

"The h-hospital. Please hurry!"

"W-wha?! Hold on France, WHAT?!"

"Just come, please! I don't know how long we have!" France said and hung up quickly. England stared at his phone, then he threw it down and flew out the door and threw himself into his car. He sped down the road, oblivious to the speed limit, dashing down side roads until he pulled up in front of the hospital. He smashed his car door open and ran through the hospital doors straight up to the receptionist's desk. He was about to open his mouth when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He spun around to see Germany with a very pained look on his face.

"Come on, hurry." he said in his thick accent. England followed him as they ran down a short hallway. They burst into a room near the end of the hallway and England was attacked by a sobbing France.

"A-Angleterre!" he sobbed. England patted his back briefly and France pulled himself off and brought England around the corner or the room. England's insides collapsed.

China was lying in the hospital bed, tubes and wires hooked up all over him, an oxygen mask covering his mouth and nose. His small abdomen was bandaged, blood seeping through in small splotches. His head was bandaged heavily and his raven black hair spilled out onto the pillow, framing his face. A blood splattered shirt lay on a chair next to the bed, the quantity of blood was sickening.

England felt himself falling slightly onto France's shoulder, his eyes wide in horror. He tried to speak but all he managed was a strangled sob.

"N-no..." he felt tears beginning to stream down his cheeks, their salty taste seeping into his mouth.

"He was found holding this." Germany said, handing a battered and bloody paper bag to England. "The envelope inside is addressed to you."

With shaky hands, England pulled the crumpled white envelope out of the bag. Written neatly in pen was the Chinese characters for his name, 英国. He opened the envelope and took out the piece of folded paper inside. The paper was hand made with rose petals made into it, China had evidently put a lot of time and effort into it. England unfolded it and began to read the words written beautifully in Chinese***.

_Dear England,_

_Happy birthday! I remember the first time we celebrated it as an alliance, do you? The huge cake America brought that we were all afraid to eat because it was blue, and Russia's massive sunflower that nearly crushed you, France's barrel of wine and a French cook book. Honestly, I was terrified that my gift wouldn't be enough after I saw all of theirs. Hopefully my painting was good enough. Even after that, I still worry about your present every year. But this time, I'm positive that you'll like it._

_The tea in the bag is the one you had at my house all those years ago, the one you liked so much. It was so hard to find it again, they don't make it anymore! I had to scour the entire WORLD to find it! Some shopkeeper in Taiwan had been saving it. He wasn't willing to give it up either. This is the last box in the entire universe! So make sure that you don't drink it all at once! I was hoping maybe you and I could have a little dinner at my house after the huge party you'll surely be having. If you don't want to, it's fine, just a thought. _

_As I write this, the rain outside my open door is glowing in the moonlight, making my whole garden a beautiful silvery wonderland. It looks so amazing that I find myself thinking that maybe I've fallen asleep and that I'm dreaming. I want to share this beauty with you, so I hope that you can imagine it for me. There is one more thing I want you to think about. Maybe this poem can express it to you._

_A nightingale sings softly_

_The tiny bird perched on my window sill_

_She sings of marvelous things_

_Her tales endless and beautiful_

_I cannot help but stop to listen_

_She flits gracefully over to me_

_And rests on my shoulder_

_Her song has changed, it is different_

_No longer tales of mangroves,_

_Nor that of bamboo forests,_

_She now sings of something_

_That we all search for_

_And sometimes cannot find_

_It is a treasure hidden from sight_

_Tucked away inside our hearts_

_Until we seek_

_to open it_

_I should be telling you everything in person, but I fear that I am far too shy and will probably run away from both you and myself. I hope from the bottom of my heart, that this is enough for you to know, my dearest England, that I love you._

_Love lasts forever and always,_

_中国 __China_

England clutched the letter in his hand, tears streaming down his cheeks. Then he realized that there was something taped to the back of the letter. He carefully turned it over to see a photograph.

It was from two years ago. China and England had both fallen asleep in the meeting room and America had thought that it would have been a good idea to put them onto the sofa together. Unaware of what was happening, China and England had been picked up by America and France and placed on the sofa. France had then arranged the sleeping nations to be cuddling each other. America snapped a photo which he later emailed to the both of them.

England felt his knees getting weak and his vision becoming blurred. He staggered towards the hospital bed and collapsed beside it, sobbing as he let the bag touch the ground. The letter fluttered out of his hand and onto the floor where Italy picked it up and set it down on the bed with the bag.

He then lowered himself to the floor next to England and placed his arms around the sobbing Englishman, his own tears rolling down his cheeks. England shakily lifted his arms to hug Italy back, desperate for any comfort.

"It is enough, I know and will never forget! I promise!" he sobbed out loud. He didn't care that he was hugging Italy, he didn't care that he was surrounded by everyone he knew, he didn't care that China couldn't hear him. He needed to say it, he had to. He let go of Italy and clasped China's hand.

"I love you! I love you China! I'll love you even if you never open your eyes again! I'll love you even if I can never hear your voice again. Just don't leave me! Not yet! Don't let go...please...I'm begging you..." he said, and collapsed once more onto China's bed.

* * *

*Aequalis means Equal in Latin. I used Google Translate

**If anyone actually LIVES somewhere with this intersection, it is entirely coincidence. I just came up with two random street names

***All nations can read each other's languages, but they can't necessarily speak it (reminder, this is a head canon)


	2. Why?

**AN:**

**(finished getting killed by fangirls) Sorry for all the sadness and feeeellllss! I'm sowwwwyyyyy! This one is cute though, sorta.**

* * *

After England arrived, he was soon followed by Prussia, Spain, Romano and Russia. They were all horrified. Russia's reaction was the most intense. He stumbled into the room, stepping on his scarf, his face contorted in fear with tears threatening to spill. When he saw China, the normally intimidating nation fell to his knees and couldn't stand until Germany had to help him.

"We should contact Japan." France said. Italy nodded.

"I already have. He's on his way." he said.

Suddenly, Japan burst through the door of the hospital room, his normally calm face streaked with tears.

"Nii-san! Nii-san!" he cried, shoving past Prussia and throwing himself next to China's bed. His short black hair was messy and his shirt was crooked and not done up properly, but he didn't care in the least. All that mattered to him was his brother.

"Nii-san! Speak to me! Say something!" he sobbed, clutching China's immobile hand. England, who was next to him, placed his hands gently on Japan's shoulders and stood him upright.

"Nii-san..." Japan faltered, tearfully staring at his brother's unmoving body. England patted his back, shedding tears of his own. Japan slowly turned towards England, his head bowed in sorrow. His shoulders shook and he fell forwards into England's arms, tears overflowing.

The other countries watched sadly as the two nations that loved China the most stood together, crying their feelings out into each other's arms, their despair swallowing any other feeling that dared to approach. Italy stepped backwards to Germany and cried silently into his arms, while Prussia shook off all shame and let his own tears flow. Romano and Spain stood next to each other, sharing each other's comfort and America turned to France, even though they weren't very close, he hugged the Frenchman anyway. Russia stood completely still, his expression unreadable.

"I'm very sorry to interrupt, but I think you'd all like to hear this." a doctor said, standing in the doorway. They all turned to face her as she sadly stepped into the room, the expression on her face grave. She took a deep breath and they all prepared for the worst.

"I'm afraid your friend, China, has gone into a coma." she said. Japan, who was still clutching England, made a tiny moan of distress. The doctor continued.

"It's no surprise as the damage to his brain tissue and abdomen was extremely severe. One of his broken ribs almost punctured his lung, so his breathing is very unstable. We were able to set it back so it can heal properly, but we aren't entirely sure if his breathing will ever be normal again. The impact of the truck shattered the bones in his legs and broke one of his arms. If he does recover from his coma, he may never be able to walk again."

Japan couldn't bear it anymore and let out a tiny scream of despair. England, still holding him, slid to the ground, his eyes wide. The doctor shook her head sadly.

"We did all we could, but the impact was too great. I'm so sorry." she bowed her head and left the room to give them privacy. When she left, Russia fell against the wall, his entire body shaking uncontrollably.

"S-so...China isn't..." he faltered and placed his head in his hands. The rest of them were silent, none of them knew what to say, there was no bright side to the situation. A treasured person among them was to lay silent in a hospital bed for who knows how long.

There would be no more Chinese new year parties, no more surprise lunches, no more ancient stories about dragons and enchanting Chinese princesses, no more Hello Kitty plushies left on the meeting chair, no more arguments about how tea was better than coffee, no more offers to hug Panda-kun.

It was all over. All of it. China was gone. And maybe returning wasn't one of his options. The letter was all they had left. His last moment in touch with them, his last story, his last voice. China was hidden inside his body, the unmoving shell that lay in the hospital bed. His last tiny shred of existence was trapped away. Too far for anyone to reach it. Too far to pull back.

England slowly rose from the floor and walked over to China's side. He bent over the once strong nation and kissed his lips gently.

"Sleep well my love." he whispered, a single silver tear falling onto China's frozen hand.

_ China floated, was he floating? He could be flying, or maybe standing, or was it nothing at all? There wasn't any light, but it didn't seem to be dark, it didn't seem like anything. China looked down at himself, he didn't seem to be wearing anything, and yet, he didn't really seem naked. He wiggled his toes and fingers, they all seemed to be the same. He kicked his legs and did a somersault easily. Smiling, he thought about flying and suddenly shot upwards._

_ He laughed and imagined walking upside down and he suddenly found himself upside down. So if he imagined doing something, he could do it. What about imagining things? Like objects? He thought about a tree, and it appeared in front of him, green and growing out of nothing. Then he decided he didn't want a tree anymore, so it disappeared. He thought that he might be hungry, so he imagined up some dumplings. He sampled one and it seemed to fulfil him, so they disappeared. He was thinking about what to imagine next when a thought popped up into his head and it appeared before him._

_ "England!" he exclaimed, discovering that he could talk. England smiled at him tenderly and opened his arms wide._

_ "China." he said, his shaggy blonde hair falling in his eyes. Overjoyed, China ran towards him and jumped into his arms, his long black hair flowing out behind him. England hugged him close and kissed his cheek._

_ "I'm so glad you're okay China." he said, smiling down at him. China looked up, his amber eye full of tears. England looked alarmed. "Are you alright? Is something the matter?" he asked. China smiled and closed his eyes, letting two tears slide down his cheeks, shaking his head._

_ "No...I just thought I might never see you again aru." China found himself saying. Had he been thinking that? Yes, he had. England laughed softly and kissed the top of China's head._

_ "That would never happen." he said. China nodded into his chest, his black hair floating around him as if there was a breeze coming from everywhere. "So, where are we anyway?" England asked. China hadn't thought of that. _

_ "I don't know." he said, looking up. Then he thought of someplace and they appeared there._

_ "This is pretty." England said, looking around. China looked around too._

_ "Ooh! It is!" he exclaimed. They were in an endless field of flowers, the sky warm and bright with a few fluffy, golden clouds. A warm breeze blew the skirts of China's dress when he noticed he was wearing one._

_ "That looks nice on you." England said, his own green uniform replaced with a white shirt with a wide cut collar and jeans. China looked down at his dress. It was a cream white and very simple, a solitary blue ribbon tied around his waist. Neither of them were wearing shoes. _

_ "How about a hat?" England mused and then China had a hat. White straw with a blue ribbon to match the one on his dress. "There, very pretty." England said, taking a strand of China's hair in his hand. China beamed._

_ "What do you want to do?" England asked. China laughed._

_ "I don't care!" he said, jumping into the air and twirling around, making flower petals fly. England smirked and ran at him, taking him by surprise._

_ "Gotcha!" he laughed and knocked him over, the two of them rolling down a hill. They reached the bottom, laughing, their faces pink and their hair full of flowers. They laughed themselves silly until they were out of breath. Then they just stared up at the sky._

_ "What are we going to do from now on?" England asked._

_ "We'll get a house, maybe get a job, maybe have some kids, adopt them I mean. Whatever aru." China responded._

_ "We could get married." England said. China smiled._

_ "I'd like that." he said._

_ "We could should get married right here. In this field of flowers."_

_ "Now?" China was surprised._

_ "Sure. Why not?" England said, sitting up. China sat up with him._

_ "Okay. Let's do it under a cherry tree aru." he said, and a cherry tree appeared, pink blossoms blooming all over the branches. The two of them stood up and England brought a ring out of his pocket._

_ "I, Arthur Kirkland, vow to take you, Yao Wang, as my lawfully wedded husband." he said, and slipped the ring over China's slender finger. Then it was China's turn._

_ "And I, Yao Wang, vow to take you, Arthur Kirkland, as my lawfully wedded husband aru." he said, putting his ring on England's finger. He got closer to England, his eyes shining, he spoke quietly._

_ "You may kiss the bride."_

_ And England kissed him. The two of them standing under the pink tree with flower petals falling all around them and falling into their hair. Soft music began playing and a breeze ruffled China's dress, the blue ribbon floating in the air. China's face was blushing and beautiful, while England's was happy and joyful. _

_ The two broke apart after what seemed like years and looked lovingly into each other's eyes. China was crying, and so was England. But they were tears of pure joy, not of sadness. Together they looked up at the clouds._

_ "I love you so much aru." China said, staring at one particular cloud. England smiled next to him and clasped his small hand, the one with the ring._

_ "I love you more." he said. China giggled._

_ "I love you most."_

England jolted awake. He had just dreamt that he and China had gotten married in a field of flowers. Shaking his head he looked around him. He was alone in the hospital room, his head had been resting on China's bed. He looked up at the calendar next to China's bed, behind the vase of daisies. A month after the accident. He turned back to China and was slightly surprised.

China was smiling.


	3. Always by Your Side

**AN**:

Hello! I got people asking for the next chapter! I feel so loved! Thank you to everyone who read my jumble of feels. Anyway, sorry for this being such a shitty chapter. I hope it meets expectations.

* * *

"Alright, judging by the looks on your faces, I'd say it's time to wrap up." Germany said, starting to put his papers away in his briefcase. England, who had been sitting at alert for the past fifteen minutes, packed away his things in record speed and was already getting up to leave by the time that most of the other nations had only just noticed that the meeting was over. He reached the door and pulled it open to begin walking down the long hallway. He wasn't running, but he was walking very, very fast.

Back in the meeting room, another nation was throwing his own things into his case quite quickly as well. He waved goodbye to everyone and ran out the doors that England had recently opened. Pausing at the entrance, he checked something in his pocket and looked up to see England's back to him quite a ways down the long hallway. He dashed towards England and soon caught up to the blonde nation, slowing at his side. England turned and looked at him.

"Hello Prussia." he said, nodding at the german nation.

"Going to see China again?" Prussia asked in response. England nodded, shifting his hold on his briefcase.

"Yeah, I go every day." he said.

"Then could you drop something off for the awesome me? I would do it myself, but West and I need to chaperone some high school kids coming for a class trip." Prussia said. England looked at him curiously and nodded. Prussia fished in his pocket and pulled out a small rectangular package. He handed it to England.

"Take it to him and don't unwrap it until you get there." Prussia said. England took the small package and tucked it inside his jacket pocket.

"No problem. Might I ask what it's for?" he said. Prussia shrugged.

"It's just a little present. You'll find out. Oh, and when you bring it to him, please read the card out loud for him to hear." he said. England smiled.

"Don't worry, I'll make sure he hears every word of it." Prussia grinned widely and clapped England on the back.

"Thanks bro! I owe you one!" he said, dashing off back towards the meeting room. England waved at him and turned back around to head down a flight of stairs. He opened a door and stepped out into the bright August sunlight shining off the cars in the parking lot. England checked his watch as he walked towards his shiny blue Mercedes. Chucking his case in the back seat, he pushed the key into the ignition and started the car.

A song came on the radio and caught his ear. Turning up the volume, he instantly recognized it as Safe and Sound by Taylor Swift. He normally didn't listen to that kind of music, but recently that one song had really struck him. Keeping it on, he drove out of the parking lot and began towards the hospital which was, thankfully, only about five to ten minutes away from the building.

Relaxing into the music, he ran a hand through his unruly blonde hair, keeping one hand on the wheel. Pausing at a red light, he glanced at the photograph on his dashboard. China was smiling blissfully at him from the frame, his eyes closed as the sea air blew his long raven hair around his face, the fiery sunset making his cheeks glow a rosy pink.

Smiling to himself, England pulled forward as the light changed to green signaling that the cars could advance. He continued driving along the road until he pulled up in front of the hospital. Parking on the left side of the parking lot, he walked up to the front doors and pushed them open, stepping into a place he visited more often than his own basement.

He walked up to the receptionist's desk and she looked up from her computer, the red plastic of her square glasses framing her eyes. When she spotted England, she smiled.

"You know where to go." she said. England smiled back at her and nodded.

"Thanks Doris." he said, and walked towards the elevator doors and pressed the button for floor 6. At the beginning, China had been on the second floor, but in the second month he had been moved to the sixth floor to empty a room in the emergency department.

The elevator stopped on the second floor and a young woman walked slowly through the doors, a tear stained handkerchief clutched in her left hand. England looked at her pitifully as she cried quietly to herself. He then turned to her and tried to look at her face.

"Are you alright?" he asked gently. She looked up, surprised. When her eyes rested on England's face he noticed immediately the raging sorrow behind them. Slowly, she shook her head.

"I can't believe it...she..." she whispered.

"Your mother?" he asked. The young woman shook her head and tightened her grip around the handkerchief.

"No, my girlfriend." she said. England did a double take.

"Your girlfriend...what happened, if you don't mind my asking." he said, a little precariously. He didn't want to upset her anymore, but he wanted to know. The young woman took a deep breath.

"Brain cancer. We knew she had something wrong with her, but she refused to go into treatment. I'm Emma" she said.

"Arthur." England said.

The elevator stopped and the doors slid open. The young woman, was now calmed down slightly and followed England as he stepped out onto the sixth floor. Danielle had been taken into treatment, but it had still shaken Emma to the bone.

"And, why are you here?"

"My...boyfriend is in a coma." England said, hesitating at the word "boyfriend". Emma looked shocked.

"Really?" England nodded.

"Yes. Did you hear about that truck collision a few months ago?" he asked. Emma nodded, then gasped.

"That was your boyfriend? Oh no! I'm so sorry!" she exclaimed. England nodded sorrowfully. It had been months, but it was still painful for him to remember.

"I'm going to visit him now, is your girlfriend on this floor as well?" he asked. Emma nodded and smiled.

"Maybe we'll see each other again." she said and turned away, walking down the hallway. She turned back and waved.

England waved back and began heading towards China's room. He found the familiar beige door near the middle of the hallway and pushed it open. Stepping into the room he walked over to China's bedside and sat himself down on the chair placed next to it.

"Hey, it's me." he said, clasping China's hand.

It had been four months since the accident and China still hadn't woken up. He was looking much better with all of his visible injuries healed. His hair was soft, washed and very long seeing as it hadn't been cut since the last time he had cut his own hair. His food tube was currently unnatached but water and other vital things were hooked up at all times.

England reached into his pocket and pulled out the package that Prussia had given him.

"Guess what? Prussia sent you a present! Want to see what's inside?" he asked, placing China's hand on the package. He began unwrapping it with great care to reveal a picture frame and a card. Just like he promised, he unfolded the card and began reading it out loud for China to hear.

"_Hey! This is from the totally awesome Prussia, but you probably already know that. I wanted to give you a super awesome present! Do you remember when I took you to that fancy restaurant? Just the two of us? Well, I found a selfie we took on my phone and I thought it was the best picture ever, so I had it printed. The bigger copy is here in the frame and I kept the smaller one. It sits in my wallet so whenever I open it, I see your cute face. You mean so much to me China, even if no one thinks so._" England read. He was quite taken aback by Prussia's confession, but he didn't really mind.

"And here's the picture." he said, holding up the frame. In it, China and Prussia were sitting next to each other in a booth. Prussia was wearing a purple dress shirt with a black tie and had his arm around China who was wearing a sleeveless black chinese shirt and a tiny pink beret with a star on it. Prussia was smiling his signature smile, but his face seemed to be dusted with a rosy blush. China was beaming up at the camera, his hair down and resting on his shoulders.

"I didn't know you were that close to Prussia." England said, looking at the picture himself. "But I guess it makes sense." he said, setting the frame down on the bedside table amongst the vase of lilies, stuffed Hello Kitty and the various other things people had brought for China.

"So" England said, putting his hands together. "Guess what France did the other day?"

he said, recounting stories and mishaps of the other nations and himself. From the door, Prussia watched unnoticed and smiled to himself, a pink dust creeping up his cheeks.


	4. It Hurts

"Now can we tell them?" Italy whispered, quivering with excitement. Germany shook his head and put his finger to his lips.

"Not yet. Just wait a little longer." he whispered back. Italy nodded and pretended to zip his mouth shut.

"So that's what I was planning." France said, having finished explaining a new trade tactic. The other nations nodded their approval. "What do you think Germany?" he asked, turning his head to face the German nation. Germany nodded.

"I think it's excellent. Good work France." he said. France smiled, pleased with himself, and sat down again.

With no one indicating that they were planning to say anything, Germany nudged Italy and the two of them stood up together. Germany cleared his throat and everyone turned to face them expectantly.

"Italy and I have an announcement to make." he said. Italy couldn't contain it any longer.

"We're getting married!" he burst. Everyone gasped. The meeting room instantly started buzzing with activity as the nations talked to each other and gathered around Germany and Italy.

"I can't believe it! Wow! Congratulations! I knew it! Finally!" everyone said all at once. Italy giggled and clutched Germany's arm, answering the countless questions and comments.

"We haven't decided on a date yet, but were hoping sometime around September." he said. Him, France and America began agreeing on the best parts of fall weddings while the girl nations giggled and pushed Taiwan forward to ask their question.

"Um...Italy?" she said, getting his attention and trying very hard not to giggle. "Are you and Germany planning on having kids?" she asked, barfing out pretty much the entire sentence. Italy laughed and Germany blushed a wonderful glowing crimson. The other nations burst into laughter at Germany's flustered expression.

"We're not sure, but maybe a little girl might be nice. What do you think Doitsu?" Italy asked, turning to the now sweating nation. Germany spluttered, but his mouth seemed incapable of forming words which only made the others laugh harder.

"You should name her Pastella." England chuckled. Prussia clapped him on the back and used him as support so he wouldn't keel over from his laughter. Italy beamed and chuckled.

"That's kind of cute, but she'd hate us for it!" he laughed. Suddenly, the meeting room door opened with Hong Kong, Iceland and Sealand wheeling a huge smart board through the door with Wy carrying a projector and Poland dragging a huge bag of snacks, drinks and blankets.

"We're starting our Walking Dead marathon, and Russia said we could use the meeting room."

Hong Kong said, his voice unemotional as always.

"The Walking Dead? Zombies?!" France exclaimed "Sacre bleu! I'm gone!" he said, grabbing his things and flying out the door. Japan followed him silently but much more quickly than they had ever seen him move.

"Yahoo!" America cried, punching the air. "Can I watch too?!" he asked. Hong Kong nodded and America flew over to them.

"Well, I guess the meetings' over." England said, checking his watch. "So I'm going to head out. Congratulations again." he said, smiling at Italy and Germany. They smiled back at him as he stepped out the door.

* * *

_"ChunYan! Wait please aru!" China exclaimed, running to catch up with his daughter. The girl sighed and stopped running, flipping her long black ponytail and shoving her bangs out of her brilliant green eyes._

_"But Alice and Dad are waiting!" she said, putting her hands on her hips. China caught up to her and nodded._

_"I know, but that doesn't mean we need to go top speed." he said as ChunYan began walking again. "It's only around the corner."_

_"Okay, whatever." ChunYan responded, pulling out her phone and sending a quick text to her twin. China sighed._

_"Please don't use that while you're walking. I've asked so many times aru." he said. ChunYan muttered an apology and shoved it back into her pocket._

_"ChunYan! What the heck?" a girl called out. ChunYan and China looked up too see Alice, ChunYan twin sister running around the corner holding her own phone. ChunYan giggled._

_"What?" she asked. "Everyone at school knows." Alice grinned and gave ChunYan a little shove. China quietly ignored their conversation, seeing as he had absolutely no clue what they we're talking about._

_"Hi Papa!" Alice said, hugging China._

_"Hi, where's Dad?" he asked. Alice pointed to the house that they were now approaching._

_"Watching TV with uncle France, uncle America and uncle Germany. Auntie Taiwan, uncle Italy, uncle Greece and uncle Japan are with baby Meiko and a few others in the backyard. The others haven't arrived yet." she said. ChunYan squealed._

_"Mei-chan?! She's here?!" she demanded. Alice nodded. ChunYan dashed around the back of the house and slid to a stop next to the nations gathered on the grass. Japan and Greece's daughter, Meiko, was sitting in Japan's lap._

_"Hello!" ChunYan exclaimed, kneeling down in front of Meiko. The baby girl lifted her tiny hands and grabbed ChunYan's nose. _

_"Aww...she missed you." Japan said, smiling. The other nations scattered around the baby cooed. _

_Inside the house, China and Alice came through the front door, Alice kicking off her shoes and plopping herself into America's lap._

_"Hey dude." he said, smiling at the girl. She tilted her head back and pecked him on the nose._

_"Ni hao everyone." China said, walking into the living room. England looked up._

_"How was ChunYan's art class?" he asked. China walked over to him and kissed his forehead._

_"Pretty good. Her teacher still marvels at her work aru." he said. France chuckled._

_"Well, she does get it from you." he said. China smiled and pushed France's head back._

_"Shut up." he said. "Is everyone else in the yard?" he asked England. He nodded. "Alright, go back to your soccer." China said, walking towards the back door._

_"It's Football!" England called after him._

* * *

"Hello England. Back again?" Katelyin, a nurse asked. England nodded.

"Yup. Everyday." Katelyin smiled.

"Thank you for coming so much." she said. "Even though it doesn't seem like it, I think you being by his side every day really helps." England smiled happily.

"I hope so. I like being here whenever anything happens." he said. The nurse patted his hand and opened the door for him. He walked in and closed the door after she left. Approaching China's bed, he seated himself once again in the chair and picked up China's hand, the routine he had been performing for nearly a year now.

"Hey princess." he said. "You look so beautiful today, did you know that?"

"Oh! And guess what? Germany and Italy got engaged! Isn't that great?" he exclaimed. "They're planning on getting married in September. Won't it be pretty? All the golden, orange and red leaves all around them? I bet Italy will wear a dress. Probably a pink one." he said.

"Hey, do you think we could do that one day? Get married?" he asked, his eyes beginning to feel wet as he thought about China being his bride. Hugging him, holding him, kissing him. Tears began trickling down England's cheeks.

"W-what do you think princess?" he asked, his shoulders shaking a little. He brought China's hand to his lips and kissed it, letting the tears spill over the lily white fingers.

"C-could we do that one d-day?" he asked, gazing sorrowfully at his sleeping beauty just before collapsing onto the bed to sob.


	5. Not Yet

England snorted quietly and rolled over, his arm falling onto his face, causing his blonde hair to slide to the right. The night was silent except for the rushing of cars outside on the soaked pavement, the rain splattering against the windows and England's occasional snoring. A spring breeze rustled through the light curtains from the window that had been left slightly ajar. Resting on the windowsill was a vase containing a solitary peony.

But, alas, the peace was not to last. An earsplitting electrical sound shattered the silence, causing England to jolt upwards, his eyes wide. He nearly fell off the bed and threw one of his pillows randomly forward. When it didn't hit anything, he looked around, bewildered, until he noticed his cell phone glowing on the bedside table. Groggily, he reached for it and fumbled his across the screen to answer the call, almost blinded by the screen.

"Hello." he said, his voice scratchy.

"Mr. England?" a crisp female voice asked on the other end. "This is Dr. McTory." England became alert in a split second.

"Doctor. Has something happened?" he demanded.

"I think it's best if you just came. This situation is very difficult to explain over the phone. Please come as fast as you can." Dr. McTory.

"Coming right away." England said, hanging up. He shoved his phone into his pocket and ran down the stairs, snatching his coat off the newel post and jumping into his slip-on loafers. He ran out the door, not even bothering to close it and dashed through the rain to his car. He started the engine and shoved his finger into the windshield wiper button. Wasting no more time, he pulled his car quickly out of the rain washed driveway and seared down the street. Within minutes he pulled up in front of the hospital and ran inside, getting soaked in the momentary run to the door. He ignored the receptionist's desk and let his feet guide him, having walked the same path every day for nearly three years. Before he knew it, he was marching in through the door of a room so familiar to him, he knew it better than his own bedroom.

But this scene was completely unfamiliar. Nurses and doctors ran around, talking in loud, panicked voices. There were nearly fifteen machines crowded everywhere, all of them beeping and sounding alarms, making the noise terrible. The very atmosphere was tense with worry and distress. And for a very good reason. China was clearly in desperate condition. His body was shaking, his closed-eyed expression one of complete terror. An oxygen mask, countless wires tubes and cords were hooked up all over him. It was horrible.

Dr. McTory was at England's side in seconds.

"Mr. England. We can't explain what's happening, it's never been seen before. But we think you can help." she brought the traumatized England to China's side. "If you speak to him, he may react to your voice."

"Doctor! The CVP!" a nurse cried. Dr. McTory stood up straight immediately, her white lab coat swinging.

"Try and stabilize it! I'm coming." she turned back to England. "Just speak to him. Say anything, we just need your voice." Dr. McTory dashed around the edge of the bed and took the machine from the frightened nurse and began punching buttons feverishly. England looked helplessly at her and slowly turned to China. What could he say? It was four in the morning, England was soaking wet, tired and terrified.

"Hey sweetie." he croaked, his fear evident in his voice. He clasped China's shaking hand and held it tightly. "It's me..."

"DOCTOR." a nurse yelled. The beeping was getting louder and faster. "The Transducer's readings are insane!"

"The Electrocardiogram is going wild too!" another doctor exclaimed.

"I'm trying to stabilize this one!" Dr. McTory cried, her glasses sliding off her face. "Speak to him!" she yelled at England.

"China!" England cried, the anxiety beginning to claim him. "China come back! Turn around! Don't go..." he faltered. "Don't let go...not yet..." he felt tears and as they flowed the beeping slowly receded.

"Not yet..." he sobbed, his grip on China's hand tightening. China stopped. not only shaking, but everything. Heart, brain, lungs. Everything. The readings went dead.

"Oh no..." Dr. McTory held her face in her hands. England whipped his head around.

"What?! What's happened?!" the nurses moved away from the monitors. England died a little inside. "N-no..." His head spun back around and he threw himself forward. He ripped the oxygen mask from China's face and shook his shoulders.

"NO. NO. NO!" he screamed. "Not yet! NOT YET!" China's limp body flopped back and forth as England shook him, desperate for anything. A whisper, a movement, a breath. "COME BACK! COME BACK!" Then reality struck him. There was no coming back.

"...come back to me..." he sobbed, falling onto China's chest.

* * *

_China was curled up in a corner of the sofa, "The Great Gatsby" in his hands. England was seated next to him reading that morning's newspaper which he hadn't had a chance to read earlier. The girls had been sent to bed hours ago, and everything was quiet and peaceful. Maybe a little too peaceful._

_"Iggy?" China said, not looking up from his book. There was no response. "Iggy?" China asked again. Nothing. Frustrated, China closed his book, ready to see England hiding behind his paper and trying to not to laugh. But the seat in front of him was empty except for the newspaper. In fact, the entire room was empty. How could England have sneaked off without him noticing? China stood and walked into the main hallway, looking up the stairs._

_"Iggy?" Silence. "England?!" China called, now getting really freaked out. He walked up the stairs and into the bedroom they shared. The bed was empty and made, the closet door open and vacant. China dashed to the bathroom, nothing. He opened the door to Chun-Yan's room and almost fainted._

_Chun-Yan's bed was empty. China, now worried sick, ran across the hall to Alice's room and opened the door only to find her room vacant as well._

_"England! Chun-Yan! Alice!" he cried, feeling frightened tears beginning to form. He tripped over something and crashed into a side table, sending a picture frame flying into his lap. He picked it up and screamed._

_It had been from Chun-Yan and Alice's grade 8 grad. The four of them were supposed to be standing around the fountain at their school, but the frame was empty of everyone except China. Pale, ghostly shapes remained where his family had once stood. He dropped the frame to the floor and fell to the carpet, tears streaming down his cheeks as he closed his eyes._

_"China."_

_He whipped his eyes open to see England, Alice and Chun-Yan standing at the end of a long, dark tunnel. A bright light was shining behind them. England smiled and lifted his hand, holding it out for China to hold. Relieved, China stood and ran to hold it, walking hand in hand with his family. They were walking towards the light. They were almost there. China was about to follow them into the pleasant glow._

_China!" a voice called. "China come back! Turn around! Don't go..." it got quieter. "Don't let go...not yet..." China turned around slowly. First his hips;_

_"NO. NO. NO!" Then his feet; then his abdomen;_

_"Not yet! NOT YET!"; then his hands; then his head. Finally, his eyes. They turned away from the golden light to look back into the darkness. He blinked._

* * *

England lay face down on the hospital bed, the sheets wet from his tears and wrinkled from his fists. A drum was pounding doom in his ears and his insides were falling apart. His brain and his heart were beginning to give up when a nurse gasped.

"D-doctor...look!" she whispered. Slowly, England raised his head and the world sang.

The morning sunlight was whispering through the windows, alighting everything in a rosy orange. A soft breeze fluttered through an open screen and the pale, translucent curtain danced on the scent of rain. Sparrows perched in the oak tree below the balcony and twittered happily amongst themselves. And there, blinking in the golden sunlight, was China.

England was speechless. He was wet and crying, tired and relieved, astonished and overjoyed.

"C-China..." he muttered, raising a shaky hand to China's cheek. China looked in wonder at his hand and his mouth twitched upwards in a tiny smile when it touched him. "China...my...god..." England was breathless. He lifted himself up and sat gingerly on the bed, all of his movements delicate, as if he was walking on crystal plates. He leaned forward and stroked China's face, staring downwards at the golden orbs shining up at him, full of emotion that was complicated, yet so pure words could not describe it. England placed his lips gingerly on China's nose and rested them there for a moment. When he took them away, China had his eyes closed.

The nurses and doctors muttered amongst themselves and slowly filed out of the room, leaving the two of them in solitude.

"It's been so...so long." England said, touching his forehead to China's. China tried to speak, but something was wrong. He was moving his lips, but he seemed to be struggling and no sound was escaping. England backed up slowly.

"China." he said, becoming frightened. "China speak to me." China tried again, but was silent, the look on his face distressed and scared. He sat up hastily, far too hastily and began coughing, still trying to say something.

"No! Don't push it. Lie back down." England said, placing hands on China's shoulders and laying him back down. China's coughing ceased, but words were lost to him. England closed his eyes and calmed himself.

"China, try one more time." he said. China opened his mouth and strained it into strange shapes, desperate for anything, any sound.

"No..." England groaned. "This isn't fair!" he cried. He felt robbed. The greatest love of his life had been returned to him, but now he couldn't even speak to him. And then China began to cry. Silent tears, falling onto the bed and into the long dark hair that had hardly been cut.

"Darling." England said, reaching forward and hugging him closely. "Darling, I'm sorry. We'll make it through this. We'll find a way." he looked towards the window forlornly.

"I promise."


	6. Start Again

**AN:  
Hey guys! I'm back! Finally with an update for this story! The answers, the suspense, the SHIPS...lol, sorry. LEDURP. Anywaaaay, I feel pretty good about this chapter, it's really long, sorry :/, but I'm kinda worried about how to continue. I know how the rest of the story is going to progress, it's just starting chapters that MUUUUURRRRRDDDUUUURRRSSS me. Sometimes it just comes and I'm like, "Hey, that's damn good gurl!"** **but other time I'm like, "Meh, my life." _throws table_****...So! Ideas please! Also, I'm thinking of writing some Black Butler, Harry Potter and whatnot. Any suggestions would be cool, just no Sherlock. I'm planning on watching it, I just want to catch up on the TRILLIONS or Anime and Dr Who episodes I have to watch. Sooooo...yeah!...motherfuck, this is long...**

* * *

"This is just getting crazy. England is never this late." Germany grumbled, pulling at his collar. America tried to be sympathetic.

"Oh come on, he's been late before. We all have!" Germany gave him a half glare, a 'lift one eyebrow while looking displeased' sort of thing, while he pulled out his cell phone and briefly glanced at the time.

"Yes, America, but never two whole hours." He stated, his voice rather gruff. America opened his mouth to say something, but closed it, stumped.

"Come now, come now." France said, placing his hand over Liechtenstein's. "Something important has probably come up and this meeting wasn't particularly pressing, so why not reschedule and simply enjoy each other's company for once?" he turned and smiled tenderly at Lili, who smiled back softly.

"I suppose its all we can do, really." Austria said, looking up from the symphony he was memorising. "We're all here, mostly, so why not? We hardly ever have such an occasion."

The other nations shrugged and all around agreed, maybe a simple social event would be fun, perhaps even good for them. They began to stand and wander around, having conversations and producing food from mysterious places, Taiwan even found an iPod dock and began having an argument with Austria about what music would better fit the mood, Beethoven or Katy Perry. Austria won and the room was soon filled with the melodious sound of Beethoven's 6th symphony. Everyone seemed to be amused by whatever social activities they were engaged in, except Switzerland.

He was scrunched up in one of the armchairs in the corner and was glaring across the room at a certain blonde Frenchman. France was over by one of the large windows with Liechtenstein, the two of them sitting in the window seat across from each other, their faces basked in the morning sunshine. After many sibling arguments, cowering Frances and sobbing Liechtensteins, he had finally let her date France and although he won't admit it, she had hardly ever been happier. But, although his fury was still present in all its discomforting ways, he was beginning to warm up to it.

"I swear, it was April! But still, snow!" France exclaimed. Liechtenstein laughed. "And it was this high too!" He laughed, gesturing with his hands. Suddenly, their conversation was interrupted by France's cell phone tinkling in his pocket, a calming Celtic harp telling him that he was receiving a call.

"Sorry, I've got to check this, I'm expecting a call from my boss." he said. Liechtenstein nodded understandingly. France looked down at his phone screen and was slightly surprised. "Oh, I guess not. It's Angleterre...Bonjour?"

"Hey France." England said.

"Mon ami, you're ever so late. Germany was having a conniption."

England laughed. "Well then, is everyone there?"

"Oui. Pourqoi?"

"I need you to put me on speaker, I've got news."

"Oui, just a moment." France took the phone away from his face and spoke loudly. "Toute le monde! Please go sit at the table again, Angleterre has some news!"

Everyone shuffled back to their chairs and France placed his phone in the middle of the table and pushed the volume button multiple times until the sound of England's voice was as loud as it would get.

"Hello, everyone?" England's voice crackled slightly through the phone's speakers. "I'm dreadfully sorry about my absence from the meeting, really, but I had to attend more pressing matters, I'm sure you'll understand. Right now I'm at the hospital, with good news..." Everyone gasped excitably "...but also bad news." The excitement dissipated quickly.

"Uh...give us the good news first." Italy said nervously, a few of the others nodded. England sighed and began to speak again.

"China has... Woken up." The room exploded with commotion. Clapping, cheering, shouting, crying and hugging. England tried to address them again, but the phone's speakers weren't loud enough, only Japan hearing him.

"Everyone...EVERYONE!" he shouted. Shocked, they all stared at the normally silent nation and all soon quieted down.

"Please continue England." Germany said. England seemed to take a big breath and calm himself before speaking.

"He has woken up, but..." They leaned in closer towards the phone. "But he can't speak and is paralysed below his waist."

They sat in silence, the severity of the situation heavy in the air. Suddenly, a voice broke the silence.

"We have to go..." Their heads spun towards the voice to see Prussia curled up against the wall, pulling at his silver hair. Canada approached him, concerned.

"Prussia? Are you alright?" he said quietly. Prussia looked up at him for a moment and suddenly stood up in one fluid movement.

"We're going. Everyone, in my van. Let's go." Without waiting for a response, he snatched his red hoodie off the back of his chair and marched out of the room.

* * *

"Excuse me, but we're here to see a friend?" Prussia said politely. The receptionist, Doris, looked up from her computer and looked at them through the red plastic frames of her glasses.

"Oh, yes. Gilbert I believe?" she asked. Prussia nodded. She glanced behind him at the crowd of nations. "How many of you are there?"He paused for a moment and counted.

"Seventeen." he responded. Doris nodded and wrote something down in a book and smiled back up at him.

"Normally, no more than five people would be allowed, but I know what the situation is this time, so go ahead. Same room as always." Prussia nodded his thanks and beckoned the others to follow him to the stairs. They didn't want to crowd the elevator.

The long march up to the sixth floor was tedious, but enjoyable by the light talk, chatter and jokes they shared amongst themselves. Once they finally reached their destination, they paused for a moment to rest and catch their breath.

"Alright Italy?" Germany asked, patting his fiancé's shoulder. Italy nodded and stood up straight, stretching his back and cracking his neck. After their short break, they moved their way down the hall, Prussia at the front, to China's room. When they reached the door, nearly all of them held their breath as the door was pushed open and they advanced into the room.

China seemed the same as always, hooked up to machines and sleeping. The only thing that appeared different was his position. England was sitting in a chair next to the bed holding China's hand and watching him calmly. He heard them enter and stood up, letting go of China's hand. He placed his index finger to his lips.

"He's sleeping." he whispered. The others acknowledged and tried to hang their coats up as quietly as possible in the closet.

"How's he doing?" America asked England quietly.

"Much better. He's taking in good faster than he was before and is calmer than when he first woke up." England responded. There was a short, but loud crash and everyone immediately turned to see Canada backing gingerly away from the garbage can which he had just accidentally smashed into the table.

A small groan was heard from the far side of the room where China was beginning to stir. England was at his side and holding his hand within seconds. China's amber eyes fluttered open and blinked a few times, processing the fact that he was now awake and adjusting to the bright sunshine.

"Hey princess. Have a good nap?" England asked, drawing his attention. China turned and smiled softly at him, but the smile faded quickly once he spotted the other nations standing in a glom behind England. He touched England's arm softly with his free hand and pointed to the others in confusion. England looked behind him and then back at China.

"Yeah, I brought some friends. Do you remember them?" China frowned and shook his head. England smiled. "I think you do." Another head shake. England turned around and beckoned Japan forward.

Japan was hesitant, but came to the bedside, his face glowing with happiness, but also with worry.

"You remember Japan. Your little brother?" England said. China looked at Japan for a moment, a small frown on his face. Then he let go of England's hand and brought it up to Japan's face, placing it on his cheek.

"Nii-san...remember your Nihon?" he asked. China studied his face without blinking and then smiled. He nodded and held Japan's hand. Japan was almost crying out of pure joy. Prussia couldn't contain himself anymore and he leaped forward.

"Do you remember me? I'm Prussia." China looked at him for only a moment before clapping his hands and nodding. He then lifted his left hand and stroked Prussia's cheek gently.

"Aww..." Prussia said.

Then China did something strange. He looked behind Prussia and pointed at France. France was shocked.

"M-me?" he spluttered, pointing to himself. China nodded. Prussia moved out of the way as the European nation came forward slowly. He kneeled down next to the bed and looked confused. China put out his hand and started moving his fingers up and down.

"I think he wants your hand." America said. France was baffled, but brought his hand up for China to see. China placed his small hand in France's larger one and closed his fingers. France did the same, but looked back nervously at Liechtenstein who giggled and waved her hand, saying it was 'OK'.

China closed his eyes and placed his hand on France's face where he began moving his fingers over the ridges and indents of the elegant face. France closed his eyes calmly. Soon, China stopped, his fingers resting on the short hair growing on France's chin, he opened his eyes. France opened his and placed his hand over China's, smiling.

"You've never seen my beard have you?" he chuckled. "No wonder you're confused." He reached to the back of his head and tugged out the ribbon holding his hair back, letting the golden locks tumble down and rest lightly on his shoulders. "I'm France."

"You remember France right?" England asked. China slowly nodded, paused and then nodded again, more positive.

One by one, the nations came forward and re-introduced themselves to China. Although it was hard to see their close friend struggle to remember them, it all worked in the end. It was curious though. One of the only countries that China remembered straight away was Canada. He reached forward and hugged Canada tightly, surprising the shy nation. After that, it somehow became easier for the others to see Canada.

After a while China began to look tired. He wobbled a bit and rubbed his eyes. England approached him and stroked his hair.

"Are you getting sleepy princess?" he asked gently. China nodded and yawned. He reached his arms out and clung to England, resting his head on England's shoulder like a small child. England sat down and rubbed China's back comfortingly, whispering a lullaby into his ear.

Soon, China fell asleep on Englands shoulder. Carefully, England placed China head on his pillow and covered him tenderly with a soft blanket.

When he turned around, he saw Japan shoving his phone into his pocket, a handkerchief to his nose, the other nations smiling as if they'd just seen a baby cat play around under a blanket.

"What?" England asked, walking towards them with a very confused expression on his face.

"Do you have any idea how friggin' adorable that just was?" America said. England looked at him questionably. "Oh my god Iggy, you noob. Japan, show him." Japan extracted his phone from his pocket and opened something. He handed it to England.

England watched the video of himself, becoming very flustered. He did have to admit, it was adorable. The way China was dependant of himself and the way he was coddling China. When the video was over, he handed it back to Japan.

"Y-yeah, so?" he said, blushing a little.

"You guys are so cute." Italy said. "You never left his side, ever. When are you planning on holding the wedding?" The others chuckled.

"Don't be stupid." England said, still flustered. "I can't marry him right now. No matter how much I want to." They giggled. "He's not mentally stable." That shut them up.

"Not mentally stable?" Russia repeated. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"I was actually about to talk to you about it. I didn't before because we're trying to keep him from knowing." England explained. He sat down on the side of China's bed and pointed to the various chairs around them that the nurses had provided for their large group.

"His mind restarted somewhat during his coma. His memories are still there, his life's experiences and feelings are still present, but a little foggy. But since he was out for such a long time, he kind of got lost. That's how he lost his speech and understanding of everything. His mind reset to be like one of a small toddler's, almost a baby's."

"A...b-baby?" Prussia exclaimed, he glanced towards China's sleeping form.

"Yes, I'm afraid. He needs all the attention, patience and care that would be required in raising a two year old." England said, a little sadly.

"Did anything happen that might have caused it?" Germany asked. England nodded.

"We, the nurses and I, have a theory. Just before he woke up, his body went into shutdown mode. He had a seizure, heart attack and lung failure all at once."

"Oh my god..." Canada muttered, placing a hand to his mouth.

England continued. "It lasted for almost ten minutes, tons of different catastrophes all happening at the same time. Nothing like it had ever been seen in all record of medical history. Then, his body just couldn't take it anymore..." England was starting to freak out, remembering the day's previous affairs.

"Angleterre..." France said placing a hand on England's shoulder. "You should stop." England swallowed and shook his head.

"No, I'll keep going." he said, taking a deep breath. "He actually died..." A few of them gasped. "But only for a few minutes. We think he reset his brain when he was...resurrected."

"England, you witnessed it, right?" Russia asked. England nodded. "Did he...say anything? Did he open his eyes during...it?" England looked up at him. Russia's face looked so hopeful. England hated to shatter it.

"No Russia..." his face fell. "I'm sorry."

"No need my friend." he said. "If he had said something, it probably would have been your name." Russia looked extremely depressed. "I know I have no place."

"I'm with you there buddy." Prussia said, clapping him on the shoulder. Russia looked up at the nation whose name was so similar to his own. "The two of us can be the hopeless romantics in the corner. Don't worry England, my man. He's all yours."

"Guys-" England started. Prussia shook his head.

"Britain, you need to be there for him. Out of all of us, you are the most important in his new life. YOU. He loves you man, you love him. You've got to show him how much he means to you, right now. Right now when he's the most vulnerable. This is your moment. We won't interfere but we're with you buddy. This is you."


	7. Breaking

**AN:**

**So...hey you guys. Wow, its been a long time. I'm sorry that I was gone for so long and the only person who I can blame is myself. I have been preparing for the end of the school year and have had SO MUCH WORK. But, I've also been suffering from major writer's block and also my severe depression issues. Because of the combination of the three of these things, among others, I have not been writing and, although I wanted to, it was very hard to. So, again, I'm SO SO SOOO SORRY. But, please enjoy this latest, rather short chapter.**

* * *

The golden afternoon sun sparkled through the windows of the rehabilitation gym. The room was empty except for the metal bars, cupboards and equipment. A breeze drifted between the curtains of one of the windows which had been opened to let in the fresh air.

The peaceful silence was broken by the creak of the heavy metal fire door, the electric lighting from the hallway spilling in.

Pushing the weighted door open with one bony hand, the other carefully maneuvered the mobile chair through the narrow opening. With a grunt, the wheeled figure managed to push themselves into the room, letting their hand fall from the door, allowing it to close quickly with a deafening bang.

They rolled the wheelchair forward slowly across the room until the wheels halted in front of the metal bars, stretching the width of the room and about two and a half feet off the ground. Two pale, bony arms reaced out towards them.

Gingerly, weak fingers curled themselves around the cold silver bars, the veins showing through the nearly translucent skin. With the effort of ten bodybuilders, the hands pulled the pale anorexic body upward but could barely hold.

Long dark hair fell in a curtain on front of deep amber eyes that had once held much knowledge. Sweat trickled down a ghostly cheek, mingling with tears of both pain and frustration. Gripping the bars, the arms strained underneath the force and weight as the paralyzed body struggled to move the useless legs.

Golden lights danced about the room as the sun dipped behind the hills, giving everything its rays touched a heavenly glow. Pain and anger throbbed throughout the wispy body and tired mind, overflowing out the exhausted eyes.

The silence of the room was filled with the sound of gasping, heartfelt, sobbing. Tears of liquid gold splashed onto the tiles, glistening like jewels. Enveloped in despair, no attention was payed to the delicate fingers when they loosened their grip on the bars.

The sobbing figure shuddered and tumbled forward, falling to floor, shattering emotionally like a porcelain doll. Surrounded by his own black hair and the dying light of the sun, China lay in a crumpled heap, only centimeters away from his wheelchair.

* * *

"Crap!" England smacked himself in the head with the palm of his hand.

"What?" America asked, looking over his shoulder. England began patting his hands over his body, feeling for the telltale shape of his phone.

"I think I left my phone at the hospital." He looked in his back pocket. "Shit, my wallet too." America turned, pausing on the stairs.

"Want me to wait? I can ask the others to hold the order."

"No, it's okay. You go, I'll text you my order when I get my phone, I've been there enough times."

"Sure." America hopped down the steps of the conference hall and called back to England over his shoulder.

"Don't you get funky with Yao just 'cuz we're not there!"

England flushed a deep red and spluttered, opening his mouth angrily, but closed it quickly at a loss for words.

"I...I hate you Alfred F Jones!" He shouted. America threw his head back and laughed, waving one hand in the air.

Fuming with rage and red in the face, England stormed down the stairs to his car, throwing himself into the driver's seat. He shoved the key in the ignition and slammed his back against the seat as he cruised out of the parking lot. A minute passed and his angered expression slowly softened as his thoughts drifted to China. Long, beautiful hair; flawless golden eyes; slim, slight and an impeccably gorgeous body. What would it be like to taste that silken, milk-and-honey skin? To kiss those rose bud lips? To caress that-

England's eyes widened and he shot forward, swerving the car sharply to the right, nearly missing the nose of a corvette. The driver, a young man obviously rolling in cash, flipped him an obscene hand gesture and honked loudly before searing away, leaving the scent of burnt rubber.

His fingers gripped the steering wheel, turning his knuckles white as his thoughts returned to him, causing him to blush a deep crimson while his imaginings danced scantily around his brain. Shaking his head sharply as if to shatter the images, he bit his lip and settled back down in his seat, scolding himself for thinking something so vulgar.

He pulled into a parking space near the door of the hospital, noting how empty the lot was. Stepping out onto the pavement, he straightened his jacket uncomfortably and locked the door. Walking quickly, he pushed open the door, smiled at the receptionist and marched briskly into the elevator, punching his finger into the black button inlaid with a white 6.

The elevator traveled upwards at a slow pace, picking up two people here, dropping of three people there until it finally arrived at the sixth floor. Stepping out of the metal box, England began walking in the direction of China's room, the elevator doors sliding shut behind him. His feet traced the memorized steps and halted in front of the beige door. Pushing it open, he walked in expecting to see China napping, as he normally did at this hour, but was met with a surprise.

The bed was empty.

England stuck his head back out the door, looking to see if he had passed China in the hallway. The hallway was empty too. No nurses, all of the patients in their rooms.

Confused, England stepped back into the room and consideredd the possibilities.

He had a bath that morning, so that was out of the question; physiotherapy was on Tuesdays and Fridays, it was Wednesday; there wasn't any surgery or scans scheduled...

England glanced around the room, looking for clues when his eyes came to rest upon the pole next to the bed. It had a water bag, food tube and various other vital items attached to it. Things that were all supposed to be attached to China.

Panicking, England glanced around one more time only to see something missing.

The wheelchair.

"Oh god, no..." England murmured, dashing out of the room, leaving the ends of the tubes leaking slowly onto the sheets of the bed.

* * *

Terrified out of his wits, England searched desperately for any trace of China.

The surgery room. Nothing. Media room. Nothing. Nurse's lounge. Nothing.

"Mr. Kirkland? Is something the matter?"

England spun to face Cecilia, one of the nurses assigned to the sixth floor.

"Yaos' gone!" He burst, nearly in tears and out of breath. Cecilia almost dropped her coffee.

"What?!" She demanded. "Gone? Gone where?"

"That's just it, I have no clue." England said. "But we have to find him quickly, he left everything back at his room. Water, blood, food, everything!"

He didn't wait for Cecilia to alert the other nurses before running down the hallway again, zooming past doors upon doors.

Reaching the rehab centre, he opened and closed the doors to the pool, ran quickly around the library, and stuck his head in the office. Just as he was closing the door to the office, he heard a faint and muffled sob echo from the gym. Skidding down the hall, he came to a quick stop and flung the doors open just in time to see China crumple like a rag doll onto the linoleum floor.


	8. Strong

"CHINA!" England screamed. The rubber soles of his shoes squeaked across the floor in his mad dash to the fading nation's side. He seized China around his bony shoulders and drew him close, his breath coming in short, terrified gasps. China flopped unconsiously in his arms, a tiny trickle of blood seeping out from his hairline slid down a hollowed cheek, staining the marble skin.

England shuddered, squeezing his eyes shut tightly as tears slid down his cheeks, pink and full, so unlike the other's. Why? Why was this happening? What had they done to deserve this? China was not the one at fault, he simply did not understand. No one did. Understanding was something they lost on that fateful day. The day of the phone call.

In a sudden flurry of voices, panicked orders, machines and loud beeping China was taken from England's arms and whisked out of the room. Down to ER. It was all a blur. England found himself seated back in the very same chair that he had sobbed in on the first day. His ears were once again filled with the terrfying sounds of crying, screaming, and despair. The smells of chemicals and disinfectant; the smells of fear, pain and loss.

Never had he thought that one day he would return here. The day that China was moved to the sixth floor had been one of release. The escape of this pit was more than one could ever ask for. Bliss. His mind had never once graced upon the idea that his days in the calm, private room upstairs were numbered. That China's condition could one day worsen. He had not been prepared for such an event, something he now scolded himself for mercilessly. All seemed lost. No hope could live here. Not in this hell hole where every glimpse of light was snuffed out like a match. Not here.

He sat for what seemed like days. Sitting in the waiting room with his head bowed, staring at the floor. The others came and sat beside him. Comforting his pain with soft words and smiles, trying to hide their own doubt behind the sugar-coated truth.

Although the pain that he felt within was one that could put Prometheus to shame. It tore at his heart and sliced up his soul, filling his mind with the black goo of despair until it could hold no more. He could feel it in every pore, every inch of his body. But, he did not cry. Not one single tear even thought about slipping down the solemn face. His expression was hardened and stern, an iron wall to block any who attempted to pass.

He was nothing.

* * *

Colours flashed across his vision; so, so many colours. There were shapes and sounds, whispers and smells. It was beautiful. And terrifying.

China shrieked, but no sound escaped his mouth. His eyes were alight with terror as wind whipped his hair and tore at his clothes. It was cold and he felt empty. Dropping to his knees, he found that he had been standing. He huddled on the ground, feeling the icy stab of the wind on his back. It was so loud.

He wanted to cry out, to let someone know that he was there, but he could not. He looked down at his hands; they could not decide what colour they were. Black; red; blue; printed like newapaper; orange; pink; green.

The colours, interchanging, were pulling him towards the swarm. The mass of madness and fear, whrithing and twisiting in a massive glob of colour and shape. It was growing larger and larger, the sheer force of its gravitationl pull tugging his dissolving essence closer. Closer. Draining his strength, his will and his mind.

China closed his eyes, a rainbow drop escaping between his eyelashes as he allowed himself to be taken.

* * *

"Mr Kirkland..."

England stared at Dr McTory.

Her mouth was moving and her eyes were wrought with concern. But England did not hear her. He did not hear anything. He did not see anything. She had walked out of the room and China had not been with her. England needed to know.

The world had lost all colour. All was grey and slow. It was silent, as if someone had vacumed up everything.

His hand pushed the doctor out of the way, staring dead ahead. Someone grabbed his arm, but he pulled away, starting to run. The world slipped past him, sliding out from under his feet.

The room was empty. The nurses were there, but not. The doctor was beside him, but she was not really there. Or maybe he wasn't. But he was. And he was right next to China.

Breathing.

* * *

The world, this world, swirled around him like a mighty shell. Outside of his shell, all was grey, black and hurt. In here, he was nothing. He looked up, only slightly surprised to see England above him, his face painted with an expression so terrible it could not be described. He wanted to reach up. To tell England not to be sad. To have a voice.

_You. Have. Voice._

He did! He did have a voice! It was not loud enough! He needed to be louder!

_I. Have. Voice._

Yes! A voice! It was strong. It was powerful. He was China. The powerful, the oldest.

_Voice. Strong._

_STRONG._

* * *

"...strong..."

England stared down with wide eyes. No. It was not possible.

This was impossible.

* * *

Light erupted from the centre of the mass, blowing the writhing shape to bits that cracked and shattered upon the ground. China stared hard into the shocked eyes of his love above him. He would show this world. He would show that world. He would show England.

He.

Was.

STRONG.

* * *

China's eyes flashed open. He opened his mouth wide and, with a voice that had been lost for so long sang out.

One clear, beautiful, empowering sentence.

"England. I am strong."

* * *

**AN:**

**Ha ha! This is the end! It's over, go home! Quite the ending, I daresay, for a story with so much angst and despair, ending it on a surprise note seems rather fitting. You'll probably all hate me now. Meh, I knew I was going to end it like this, I just didn't warn ya. Should I write a sequel? If you think I should, let me know and GIVE ME IDEAS. I'M HUUUUUNNNNNGRYYYYY  
**


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